Month: February 2017

Much love to the Cabrini Shrine for letting me speak at the Mass for St. Josephine Bakhita, this is truly a spiritual collaboration ❤️ also many thanks to Abraham & his high school class for taking time out of their Saturday to come & learn about Humantrafficking.

We offer cooking courses a couple times per year to survivors. It’s incredibly fulfilling to watch women begin the class with nerves and little experience, and complete the course with confidence and feeling qualified to apply for work in the restaurant industry.

The Culinary Art program is fully funded by Freedom For All and at no cost to participants. Utensils and ingredients for the training are provided during the class. The participants will receive free public transportation (metro fare for 6 classes), $50 gift card and the certificate of completion. Participants will also receive future employment opportunities.

Angela Williams, the culinary program instructor is a graduate from The Art Institute of New York City in Culinary Art and Restaurant Management. She has seven years working in the hospitality industry. Additional instructors will be directly involved at the training center (commercial kitchen setting) They will teach the participants the essentials needed for future employment.

The classes take a field trip to the supermarket and purchase recipe ingredients. The participants will learn how to read recipes and follow instructions for food preparation, cooking, baking and table setting presentation.

Look at what they made in 2016! Looks delicious!

If you or someone you know is a survivor in need of employment assistance, email us at: info@beasister2asister.org

In October Be a Sister traveled to Cairo, Egypt; to offer support and start a new partnership.

Let me start first by saying that I love Egypt! Truly I do. There is nowhere and I mean nowhere in the world like it. There is so much life happening around you it’s hard to feel alone or isolated. You can feel the love and hospitality as soon as you set foot in Cairo. I really couldn’t think of anyplace else I would want to start my international work than there.

Women in Egypt need to know their rights & take full advantage of them. No one should have to live a life of abuse & disrespect. We need to support our sisters.

A few of the highlights from the work started in Cairo:

I was able to speak with women of various ages to empower them to speak up & speak out against sexual harassment & domestic violence.

We worked with our partners in Egypt to bring healing and hope to many women and girls to educate & strengthen.

Beasister2asister is pround to have supported the Pivot Project, a ground breaking project created in 2014 in Washington. This project ia designed to reach women and girls who are trapped in sexual slavery and feel there is no way out. This is a feminine product that hides a very special message for those who are victims but it also offers hope and a way out. This discreetly packaged product looks like and other feminine product you would see at the drugstore or supermarket. It is individually wrapped to it can be easily distributed. We are currently in the process of fundrasing with our partners to put in an order and make New York City the pilot for this innovative creation. We will be working with service providers, safe havens, and community centers to disseminate the product to as many women and girls that are currently being trafficked or are at risk. Watch the tutorial here:

http://publicpractice.org/wp/?page_id=15

If you would like more information about the Pivot Project, please send an email to:

Many times we hear or see women and children being brought to the United States for the purpose of working in the commercial sex industry. This global multi-million dollar business not only oppresses its victims but puts an undue strain on the immigration system. Beasister2asister can reach out in a global way by recognizing the signs of someone who is brought here under false pretenses to work as a sex slave. Here are some indicators from Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security:

1. Does the victim possess identification and travel documents? If not, who has control of these documents?

2. Did the victim travel to a destination country for a specific job or purpose and is victim engaged in different employment than expected?

3. Is victim forced to perform sexual acts as part of employment?

4. Is the victim a juvenile engaged in commercial sex?

5. Does the victim owe money to an employer or does the employer hold wages?

6. Did the employer instruct the victim on what to say to law enforcement or immigration officials?

7. Can the victim freely leave employment or the situation?

8. Are there guards at work/harboring site or video cameras to monitor and ensure no one escapes?

9. Does the victim have freedom of movement? Can they freely contact family and friends? Can they socialize or attend religious services?

These are all questions we should familiarize ourselves with, this is a global outreach campaign in the sense that we can be the whistle blowers for these women and children who are brought here through the immigration system to be treated like animals and slaves to their captors. We can also fight for the freedom of the victims and ensure that their rights and needs are met.

We call on women all over the globe to come together through outlets like social media, art, music, and cinema to stand together as sisters. Especially in times of war and conflict when women and girls are the most vulnerable and victimized. Do not allow governments and state policy to dictate how you should treat one another, this is weapon that used all too many times. Our unity will show that we are stronger than that. Our voice will continue to speak out against injustice done to women and girls around the world including the United States.